Garment-pressingrmachine



Sept. 9, 1941. w. STROBRIDGE GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Ori inal Filed March 19. 1956 5 Sheets-Sheef 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jnvcutm QWi/Efiu/m s mob/vidgyw 5 m 8 4 Gttonuus W STROBRIDGE GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Original Filed March 19, 1936 Sept. 9, 1941.

Sept. 9, 1941. w. STROBRIDGE GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Original Filed March 19, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3nventor:

Reissued Sept. 9, 1941 GARIVIENT- PRES SING TMACHI'NE William strobridge, Syracuse, N. 1Y., 'assignor to United States Hoffman Machinery Corporation, ;New.,York, N. Y.,'a corporation of Delaware "Original No. 2,097,746, dated November 2, *1937, Serial'No. 69,698, March 19, 1936. Application for reissue May-4, 1938, SerialNoi206g08'4 18 Claims.

This invention pertainsto garment" presses, and relates 'more particularlyxto "the press closing "mechanismand the means'for lockingsuch mechanism in operative pressing position, "irrespective ofithe" thickness of the material or garment "being pressed.

A structure. embodying my invention is shown 5 in" the annexed drawings, wherein Figure '1;is"a sideelevation of apresswithportions broken "away and partly 'in section, the "usualpress'head being shown in 'full lines in pressing relation with "the buck and in dotted 1 lines irr'fullyop ened position;

'Figx'2, a side elevation. of aportion of the primary toggle and the automatic "locking means therefor, .partly "in .section, the dotted "linepo'sition of said means'indicatingthe release (,position'iof the same justpi-iorto the movement of the toggle to i press opening position;

.Fig. .3, aitopplan view ofvthelforwardlink of the primary toggle hereinafter setforth in detail;

"Fig. *lya .side elevation of the locking mechanism as shown in;Fig.2 and upon .an enlarged scale; and

Fig. '5, a perspective View of portionsro'f. the 'for--- wark link of the primary toggle and 'thoselelements ;of the'locking mechanism which are carriedthereby.

In'the (drawings, 'l'll and I I denote the vertically jdisposed vside elements which aretsuitablyinterconnectedjandgo to makeup'the main frame of lthe machine. 'At its rear, the "frame is formed with the usual upstanding elements I2 and [3, which are, as a matterof fact, extensionsof .the members t0 anjd I l.

Theibuck is denotedyby'mand is mounted upon the usualibuck support 115. The press head IE is secured to the-forward end of the usual head carrying lever 11 pivoted at IB'to the upper ends of the frame members I2and i3, said lever at its rear end beingsuitably counterweighted'as at 19.

The construction above outlined is well known and the inventioniinsofarias thepress closing andlocking means is concerned'is not toibelim- 'ited to lithe utilization-oft such appress structure.

'The primaryitogg'le comprises a forward link or castingizl, the inner or rear portion whereof ris bifurcated, producing ltwohparallel elements 21 and .2 l *2, .and the rearlink, o'f the toggle, is shown composed of two laterally spaced ,complemental members -22 and 2.3. .The relationship of the linksisbest shown; in Fig. 3,-which,ias above indicated isia .top plan view ofithe forward link and? a portion .of the rear elements which. form therear "link.

-members Hl and II. mary toggle is pivotally-connected at 26 to the The links of the toggle are pivotally connected as at 24 and the forward link 2! is pivotally mounted on a shaft 25 supported in the side frame Themear link of the priacting in'conjunction with the counterweight tends to 'swing the head carrying lever to the dotted-line position (Fig. 1), or in other words, to" open the-press,-the head' and lever llof which are virtually counterbalanced.

-A lever 33 *fulcrume'd at34 at the rear or lower portion of the frame is interconnected to theforwardend of-the linkZl of the primary toggle 'through links-iifiand 36. 'By depressing the free endof the lever 33, the link -2l is turned counterclockwise upon the shaft -25andacts to cause the primarytoggleto approach astraightenedposition and in doing so causes the'secondary togg'lel-Zl, 28) to likewise approach straightened; position and to move thehead carrying lever oounterclnckw-ise and force the head 16 down upon the buck M.

The parts are so proportioned andarranged that at no time doesthe primary togglepass a straightened position or, asamatter'of iact,-assume-a straightened position, the pivotal points lying below a line which passes between the pivotal points 24, 25 and26.

As is usual with presses of this type, a handle as -3l is-carried by-a bracket 38 secured to the upper face of'thehead, and'the operator bydrawing down upon this handle may bring the press 'head into'conta'ct with the goods imposed upon thebuck, 'or' assist in the closing of the press when the operator presses-his footupon the pedal at the outer end of the lever 33.

Inasmuch as the toggles do not assume a "straightenedposition or pass a line which is coincident with the centers of connection between othe'various'links and the pivotal points thereof,

it .becomes .necessary to provide some locking means to hold the press in its closed position. The structure about to be .described'not only locks 'the-pressin its closed positionlbut insures the locking of the ,press head in connection :with

55 goodsso'f various thicknesses.

Each of the members 2 l and 2 l of the forward link of the primary toggle, has formed thereon adjacent its rear or innermost end and upon its upper edge, an upstanding member or projection.

Said projections are denoted by 4| and M respectively, (see Fig. 3), and extending from the inner face of each is a hub-lik member denoted by 42, 42, respectively. Mounted within the hub-like members is a pivot pin or shaft 43 upon which latter is mounted for swinging movement a downwardly extending arm denoted generally by 44. Said arm or member 44 at the upper .portion thereof has attached to it a bearing plate 45 produced from relatively hard metal, to afford a nonwearing surface. The member 45 is designed to function with a roller 46, the roller likewise bearing against a cam 41 secured to andmovable with the rear link of the toggle, or the members 22 and 23.

As will be seen upon reference to the drawings, the outer edge of the cam 41 is relieved throughout a portion of its periphery as at 48 so that when the press is opened through the breaking of the toggles and the parts come to the dotted line position in Fig. 1, the roller does not exert any binding action between the member 45 and the face of the cam 41. The rol1er 46 is provided with pintles 56 at its ends which extend into elongated slots 49 formed in one end of a U- shaped rocker or carrier pivoted at 52 to the pendulous member 44. Y

The closed end of this substantially U- or clevis-shaped member 5| is provided with an outward projection or stop element 53 designed un-- der certain conditions or position of the parts, to coact with a similar member 54 formed as an extension of the member 44. In other Words, the member 54 may be said to be the upper portion of a U-shaped opening formed in the forward upstanding edge of the member 44 which receives the closed end of the member 5 I.

The under face of the member 5| at its closed end and below the rib-like stop element 53 is formed with a bearing element or plate 55 which stands at a slight angle to the longitudinal axis of the member 5|. Said plate lies opposite a projecting face 56 formed upon the member 44, as best shown in Fig. 2. This portion of said member 44 is provided with a socket or recess 51 and a coil compression spring 58 is seated in said opening or recess. The upper end of the spring bears against the under face of the projection or element 55 and acts at all times to rock the member 5| in a clockwise direction about the shaft or pivot 52, and thus throw the inner end of the lever downwardly.

Member 44 at its lower end is provided with an upwardly inclined hook-shaped element or stop member 59 which extends toward the front of the machine. The upwardly extending face 6| of the member 44 above the hook or stop 5!! is flat and is designed to form a bearing face with which coacts a roller 62, said roller being carried at the outer end of an arm or lever 63 (see Fig. 5), which, in turn, is pinned or otherwise secured to a shaft 64 extending through hubs formed upon the opposite side faces of the element Zl of the bifurcated forward link of the primary toggle.

A second arm or lever 65 is secured to the shaft 64 and extends in a direction opposite to the lever 63. It also carries a roller denoted by 66. Normally, the shaft 64 is rocked clockwise through the action of a spring 6'! attached to the lower end of the arm 44 and to the lever 63,.as by attaching it to the pin associated with the roller 62.

This has the effect of carrying the roller 66 upwardly or, in other words, acts to rock the shaft 64 in a clockwise direction.

The roller 66 is thus normally held against one arm of a three-armed lever denoted generally by 68 mounted for rocking movement upon the shaft 25. The arm with which the roller 66 contacts is denoted by 69 and the other two arms are denoted respectively by HI and H, the latter (see more particularly Fig. 2), extending upwardly at substantially right angles to the other two arms.

This three-armed lever 68 is designed to release the lock upon depression of a foot lever 12 which is pivoted at 13 upon the bed of the machine and the forward end of which is normally thrown upwardly by a spring 14 interposed between the forward portion of the lever and the base of the machine. At its rear end, the lever has connected thereto a link or thrust rod 15 which, in turn, is connected to the outer end of the arm 10 of the lever 68. Lever 12 may be termed the foot release pedal or lever. It is possible, however, to actuate the three-armed lever 68 to release the lockingmechanism by hand, and this is effectuated through the actuation of a lever 76 fulcrumed upon the bracket 38 and interconnected with the upstanding arm ll of the lever 68 in the following manner: A rod or link TI extends rearwardly from the lever 16,

said link being connected to a lever 18 secured to a rocker shaft 8| which also has attached to it a second arm or lever 19 to which latter is connected a link 82 connected in turn to a bell crank 83 from which extends a link 84 pivotally attached to the upper end of arm II.

The parts are so proportioned and arranged that there is a convergent relation between the bearing face of the member and the face of the cam 41. The structure contemplates an angle of approximately 9 between said bearing face and a tangent drawn at the face of the cam at the point of contact with the locking roller 46.

This condition, it will be realized, always obtains even though the effective portion of the cam is truly circular.

When the head of the press is moved to closed position either through operation of the foot lever 33 or by drawing the head down by the handle 31, the parts willmove from the dotted line position (Fig. 1) toward the full line position thereof. In so doing, they will reach a point Where the roller 45 will move into contact with the active or circular portion of the cam 41 and when this position obtains, the press will remain locked and the toggles held against retrograde movement. The spring 56 tends at all times to rock the member 5| clockwise, so as to carry the roller 46 downwardly and into contact with the cam.

Irrespective of the thickness of the goods, the press will remain closed so long as the roller and cam are in contact, for the roller, as above noted, acts as a wedge between the cam and the plate 45. When, however, the three-armed lever 68 is rocked so as to depress the arm 69 thereof and to rock the lever structure 65, 63, the roller 62 will move upwardly along the face of the member 44 and out of contact with the restraining or limiting hook-shaped member 59, permitting the member 44 to swing clockwise to a slight extent from the position shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 4, to the dotted line position in said figures, thereby relieving the roller from wedging relatior; with reference to the cam and the bearing pla e.

ator becomes accustomed thereto.

,more, due to the .fact that 'the links move with ease and without coming into contact with. any

portion of the machine throughout .their opening and closing movement.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the roller 45 produces a. wedgingaction between the cam and the bearing or wearing plate 45. At the same time,1so'long= as the roller 52 is held down against the;hook59 or in its lowermost po sition, the member is precluded from swinging clockwise about-its pivot 43, hence the locking rollerllfi is held in place with. reference tothe cooperating [cam 41. Thellever 63, the roller 82 and the cooperating elements might be said to form a lock for the lock, the latter comprising the cam 41, roller 46 and allied parts.

The stop 54, .heretoforereferred to, acts to prevent the clevis member 5i from being thrown upwardly by the spring 58 to such an extentas to possibly free the pintles of the roller--48 from the slots in the outer end of the cievis 5|. The cam 41 is shown as substantially circular in outline except for its relieved portion, which, however, is only relieved to such-an extent as to admit of release of the locking function of the roller and the plate .45, whilestill preventing the pintles of the roller from movingout of the slots in the clevis. Such a formis simpler to make and adds .toits stability of structure.

The cam, of course, might be so formed as to present only the necessary active portion: and the necessary depressed portion to bring about the functionsjust specified.

ployed by the operator in. preference to the foot release; in fact the .former is utilized generally to the exclusion of the other once the press oper- This is due primarily tothe fact that theoperatorfshand, or

hands, are normally on the handle 31 as the head 7 Hi is. swungdownwardly to press closing position and locked. The operator usually maintains such position of the hands or handunless ,a relatively longperiodof pressure is to be had and, consequently,,he may by,merely.depressing the lever '16 by aflnger release the lock,.thus permitting the head .to swing upwardly. Such finger tip release as itjis known, does not necessitate the removal of the operators hand from the handle ,3! so that he may pull the head downwardly to facilitate .quick closing of the press or partial closing to effect a fp-atting operation. This facility and ease of operation leads to increased production which, of course,

is a material factor particularlyso to the press a the. operator to readily pa't the goods without the 1 necessity of employing .a Itreadlerelease, which is common; in mostpresses of today. This patting operatiomas it is well known to those :skilled in the art, involves bringing the press head oneor more times intoycontact with the goods to the pressed, without exerting the full degree of pressure utilized in the finalpressing operation.

.Bythis method the material can be more or less plasticized and made ready for the final pressing operation. An obstinate wrinkle, for example, might remain in the pressed garment'were it not for this preliminary patting operation. When the operator desires to perform this operation, he does-not wishto lock the press in its closed position, but desires a partial opening of the head so that he may view the garment and decide whether the characterof the previous work performedjustifies the finalpressing operation, or whether an additional steaming and patting shouldobtain beforcexecuting the final pressing.

therefore, Veryadvantageous that the pressing machine be so constructed that the patting may be performed conveniently and with the least physical eifort.

It isalso to be noted that the lock releasing means are not connected to the locking means mounted upon and coacting with the links of the toggle, and arein contact with same only when the press head is inpressure applying position.

.What isclaimed is:

.1. Ina garment press, the combination of two relatively movable pressing elements; toggle mechanism for-.moving .at least one. of said elements toeffectuateapressing operation with the other; and a lock mounted upon and coacting with at least onepair of links of said toggle mechanism tolock the same when the movable pressing. element has beenbrought into pressing position with reference .to the other pressing element.

2.:In a garment press, the combination ofa frame; a. buck mounted thereon; ahead; a head ,carrying lever pivotally mounted on the frame; a

toggle. interposed between the rear portion of the leverv and. a fixed .portionofthe frame; a primary toggleconnected to said first named toggleand likewise ,pivotally attached .at.its forward porticnto the frame; operator operated means for moving said primary toggletoward straightened ,positioriyandlocking meansmounted upon and coacting with the links of said primary toggle to lock the same when the head is brought to pressing position.

3. A press as set forth in claim 2, wherein .meansis providedfor moving the locking means ,todnactive position to release the press.

.4. In a .garmentpress, thecombination of a frame;,abuckmountedthereon; a head; a head carryinglever pivotallymounted on the frame; ahandlecarried by the head within easy reach of the hand of the press operator andby which thehead may be manuallyraised and lowered; a toggle interposedbetween the rear portion of the lever and a fixed portion of the frame; a primary toggleconnected'tosaid first named toggle and likewise pivotally attached at its forward portion to the frame; operator operated means for moving said primary toggle toward straightened position; locking means mounted upon and .coacting with thelinks of said primary toggle to lock the same when thehead is brought to final pressing position; a foot lever for releasing the lock; and manually operable means carried by the head adjacent the handle for likewise releasing the lock and holding it out of operation, whereby the lock may be released either through foot or hand operation, and a patting operation effected by the head when the manually operable lock releasing means is maintained in its operated position.

5. In a garment press, the combination of a frame; a buck mounted thereon; a head; a head carrying lever pivotally mounted on the frame; a toggle interposed between the rear portion of the lever and a fixed portion of the frame; a second toggle connected to the first toggle and pivotally mounted upon the frame; operator operated means for moving said second toggle toward straightened position; and locking means for said second toggle comprising a cam carried by and fixed to one of the links of said second toggle, a swinging support mounted upon the other of the links of said second toggle and movable toward and from said cam, a roller normally resting against the cam, a carrier for said roller, said carrier being pivotally mounted upon the swinging support, and spring means bearing upon said carrier and serving to rock the same in a direction to carry the roller into the space between the cam and the adjacent face of the swinging support and to establish wedging relation with reference to said parts upon movement of the second toggle toward straightened position.

6. In a garment press, the combination of two relatively movable cooperating pressing elements; tog le mechanism for moving at least one of said elements to eifect a pressing operation with the other; and a lock mounted upon and coacting with at least one pair of the links of said toggle mechanism to lock the same when the movable pressing element is brought into pressing position with reference to the other pressing element, said lock comprising a cam secured to and movable with one of the links aforesaid, an element mounted upon the adjacent link for swinging movement toward and from the cam, a roller interposed between said element and the cam, a carrier for the roller pivoted to said swinging element, and a spring interposed between said swinging element and the pivotal support for the roller, said spring acting to rock said roller support in such direction as to move the roller inwardly between and into locking contact with the cam and the adjacent face of the swinging element as the toggle links approach straightened position.

'7. A garment press as set forth in claim 6, wherein the swinging element is provided with a bearing face adjacent its lower end remote from the cam and from which extends outwardly a hook-shaped or stop element; a lever pivoted to the link upon which the swinging member is mounted; a roller carried by said lever and coacting with the bearing face and the hook-shaped member; a spring interconnecting the outer end of the lever and the lower portion of the swinging member; and means under the control of the operator for rocking said lever.

8. A look for a press closing toggle, comprising two pivotally connected toggle links; means for moving said links toward straightened pressure applying position; a cam secured to one of said links at the pivotal connection of said links; a member pivoted at its upper end upon the opposite link and swingable toward and from said cam; a roller interposed between said member and the cam; a rocking support for said roller pivotally connected to the swinging member; a spring interposed between said pivoted, swingable member and the rocking support for the roller, said spring bearing upon the end of the support opposite that which supports the roller and tending normally to carry the roller inwardly between the cam and the adjacent face of the swingable member; a hook-shaped member formed upon the lower end of said swinging member and upon that side remote from the cam, said hook-shaped member merging into an upwardly extending face formed upon the swinging member, said face inclining toward the pivot of the swinging member; a roller coacting with said face and hook; a spring serving to draw the roller and swinging member into contact with the roller normall resting upon the hook-shaped member; a rocking support for said roller; and means under the control of the operator for rocking said support, and placing the last named spring under tension, thereby allowing the roller to move upwardly along the inclined face aforesaid, whereby the swinging member will be swung outwardly away from the cam and the roller which coacts therewith be released from its locking relation.

9. In a garment press, the combination of two relatively movable cooperating ressing elements; a primary toggle; a secondary toggle connected thereto and actuated thereby; means for moving the primary toggle toward straightened position and to thereby actuate the second toggle to effectuate pressing relation between the pressing elements; a lock for the primary toggle when the same is moved towardstraightened position, said lock comprising a cam secured to one of the links of said primary toggle adjacent their pivotal connection, a member mounted upon the other link of the primary toggle for swinging movement toward and from said cam, means carried by said swinging member and cooperating with the cam to normally look the links in their adjusted position, means acting at all times upon said last named means tending to efiectuate such locking operation, and means normally holding the parts in such position.

10. A structure as set forth in claim 9, wherein the last named means may be moved to release the lock,

. 11. In a garment press, the combination of cooperating relatively movable pressing members; toggles for effectuating said movement; locking means for at least one of said toggles attached to and carried thereby to hold the toggles in pressure applying position; a lock holding said locking means in its locking position; and means under the control of the operator for releasing the lock.

12. In a garment pressing machine, the combination of a frame; a buck mounted thereon; a head cooperating with the buck; a lever pivoted to the frame and to one end of which the head is attached; a toggle interposed between the opposite end of the lever and a fixed portion of the structure; a primary power applying toggle connected to one of the links of the first named toggle and likewise pivoted to a fixed portion of the frame; a cam secured to one of the links of the primary toggle adjacent its connection with the other link thereof; a member having a bearing surface standing in convergent relation with the cam, said member being pivotally mounted at its upper end upon said second link adjacent its pivotal connection; a roller interposed between the cam and said bearing surface; a carrier for said roller pivotally mounted upon the pivoted member; a spring interposed between the rear end of the carrier and the swinging member, said spring serving to rock said carrier and to throw the roller aforesaid between the cam and the adjacent bearing surface of the swinging member,

said swinging member having a bearing face formed upon its lower portion remote from that side with which the roller aforesaid coacts; a hook extending outwardly from said swinging member at the lower portion of said bearing face; a roller mounted for movement over said face; a lever carrying said roller; a spring interconnecting said lever and the swinging member and acting to draw the roller and swinging member into contact with each other; and means for rocking the lever in opposition to the action of the spring.

13. In a garment press, the combination of cooperating relatively movable pressing members; toggles for effectuating said movement;

' locking means acting through at least one of said toggles to hold the toggles in pressure applying position; a lock holding said locking means in looking position; and means under the control of the operator for releasing the lock.

14. In a garment press, the combination of cooperating relatively movable pressing members; toggles for efiectuating said movement; locking means acting through at least one of said toggles to hold the toggles in final pressure applyin position; a lock holding said locking means in looking position; and means under the control of the operator for releasing the lock and maintaining it in such position, said means comprising a lever mounted upon the movable pressing element in position where it may be readily operated by the hand of the operator.

15. In a garment press, the combination of a frame; a buck mounted thereon; a head; a head carrying lever pivotally mounted on the frame; spring means acting to swing the lever to press open position; a handle movable with the head within easy reach of the press operator and by which the head may be manually lowered; toggle means interposed between the rear portion of the lever and a fixed portion of the frame to effect the final pressing operation between the head and buck; operator operated means for moving the toggle means toward and into pressure applying position; locking means coacting with the toggle means to hold the head in pressing position with reference to the buck; and releasing means for said locking means embodying a lever movable with the head, the free end whereof terminates adjacent the handle afore-' said, and connections intermediate said lever and the toggle locking means for releasing the latter, whereby the operator may while grasping the handle depress said lever by his finger and thus release the locking means, permitting the head to be lowered manually to effect a patting operation.

16. In a garment press, the combination of a frame; a buck mounted thereon; a head; a head carrying lever pivotally mounted on the frame; spring means acting to rock the lever to press open position; a handle carried by the head within easy reach of the press operator and through which the head may be manually lowered; toggle mechanism interposed between the rear portion of the lever and a fixed portion of th frame; operator operated means for actuating the toggle mechanism to effectuate a rocking movement of the lever toward press closed position; locking means for the press cooperating with the toggle mechanism when the same is brought to its press closing position; and manually operable lock releasing means carried by the head, said lock releasing means being located within reach of a finger of the operators hand while grasping the handle aforesaid, said manually operable means serving when actuated to release the toggle lock and hold the same from functioning whereby the head may be manually and repeatedly brought into pressing position with the lockin means held in its released position.

17. In a garment press, the combination of cooperating relatively movable pressing members comprising a fixed buck and a movable head; toggle mechanism for effectuating said movement; locking means for said mechanism to hold the head in pressure applying position; and means under selective control of the operator by hand or foot to release said locking means, said means comprising a foot pedal at the base of the press, a hand lever on the movable head, and linkage connecting both the pedal and hand lever to the lock releasing means to operate said releasing means selectively.

18. In a garment press the combination of cooperating relatively movable pressing members comprising a fixed buck, and a movable head having handle means thereon; toggle mechanism for effecting relative movement of said pressing members; locking means for said mechanism to hold the head in pressure applying position; and means under selective control of the operator by hand or foot to release said locking means, said means comprising a foot pedal at the base of the press, a hand lever on the movable head adjacent said handle means, to permit actuation of the lever by a hand on said handle means, and linkage connecting both the pedal and hand lever to the lock releasing means to operate said releasing means selectively.

WILLIAM S'IROBRIDGE. 

